31 January 2010

And we end January with a post from... Federal Way? But that's not Seattle! Well, my friends, I have some news for you. This Seattle Swinger spent all last summer desperately unemployed, which is why I was able to visit so many beautiful swings! And now, well, I have a job, and it's in Federal Way. But I still live on Capitol Hill, and Seattle will always be the focus of this blog. However, since I'm spending so much frickin time in Federal Way, I might as well post about some of the swings!

Hard seats. Just like at Powell Barnett Park in the Central District. Actually these two sets of swings are very very similar. I like a good hard, inflexible seat once in a while. It's a nice change-up from the usual.

Celebration Park is a rather large park, filled with swampy natural flora areas and a walking/dog walking trail that runs under the electrical lines. Hummmm you hear overhead. It's creepily comforting. So if you ever find yourself in Federal Way...

How to get there: Bus route #903 stops along 11th Pl S, which turns into the street this park is on.

Note that the ground material here is pebbles. I think I prefer this kind of ground material. Most of Seattle's parks contain wood chips as a ground material, and I like that as well. Wood is absorbent of forces, soft, wood-smelling, but I do appreciate a good alternative. Sand is hard and gets into your shoes and every crevice of every thing you have. Rubber material is soft and cushiony, but it's a single piece, with similar shearing-action pain as asphalt. Pebbles provide a similar cushion-like absorbency without the stick/slivery mess of wood. And the sound of jumping on them! Kssssh. I like pebbles. (yeah, pebbles get stuck in your shoes too, but whatever. What do you think of ground materials? Feel free to discuss in comments section.)

I really liked Dahl Park. or Playfield. or Park adjacent to Playfield. I like the landscaping, with the pond and all, and it makes me wonder if it's natural. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised either way. This park is spacious, away-from-it-all, and the playground seems like a relatively recent version/upgrade compared with other Seattle parks.

How to get there: Bus route #68, 378 run along 75th & 25th. The 72 runs nearby on Ravenna.